Author: mintcolouredpages

Today, I have some mini arc reviews for you that have been long overdue. I’m blaming my friend for spending the day with me and talking about books and writing the whole time. Maybe I should meet up more often with people and discuss these things if I’m more inspired to write afterwards, it certainly helped me to stop procrastinate this time.

I received these books as review copies by the publisher. This however has no impact on my opinion.

I finally, finally, finished it and I couldn’t put it down for at least the first half of the book. I loved the take on the Evil Queen from Snow White in an Asian fantasy setting a lot and Julie C. Dao’s writing style creates the perfect atmosphere for it.

What I forget to keep in mind was that we don’t have the usual heroine in this novel. Xifeng, the main character, annoyed me more and more with her behaviour and actions throughout the book although this character development makes a lot of sense when one remembers that she is in fact the anti-hero. I’m quite intrigued to see how all of this will play out in the second book.

The cover was what initially draw me to this book. You just simply can’t go wrong with cupcakes and baking in my opinion. Jesobel is a wonderful, strong character that I hope many young girls who are struggling with their bodies can look up to.

It is quite relatable in the way it shows how one can be perfectly fine with their body and hating or beginning to dislike certain features the next day. However, Mainwaring manages to portray this serious subject in an interesting way, keeping the reader engaged and adding an ounce of humour nonetheless.

This one was a fast and enjoyable read. It has some great representation of gay and bisexual as well as POC characters although I personally wish that this diversity would have included more women. The author treated some rather serious topics in a light way, which perfectly fit with the overall tone of the book.

While I didn’t quite connect with the main characters Max and Serena, I liked getting to know more bits and pieces of the side characters. There were a few things left open so they’ll hopefully be answered in a sequel, otherwise I’d be quite disappointed with all my open questions towards the end.

I hope these first few days of 2018 treated you well and you guys had amazing and relaxing holidays. Christmas and New Year’s Eve have been very family-oriented for me, spending the latter in Paris. Fortunately (or should I say unfortunately?), January 1st was a state holiday over there, so the shops were closed and I couldn’t spend even more money on books.
I know this space has been kind of deserted thelast few months and I will try my best to do better this year. I actually didn’t plan on making any resolutions this time but I guess this counts as one. There are a lot of things I need to work on this year– mainly on myself– and, as usual, there’s still uni.

But my resolutions aren’t actually the reason for this blog post, which you might have already guessed from the title. This one is all about the amazing books that we will be graced with in the coming months and I can’t wait to read them all. Most of them come out in March, which is a blessing and a curse at the same time. 2018 also seems to the year of sequels and ends to some well loved series of mine. It was quite hard to number them down to only five, so I decided to just share six recommendations with you instead. Continue reading “Top 6 Books I’m Looking Forward to in 2018”→

This month’s wrap-up is going to be a rather short one. I only finished one book in total since uni work piled up (and is unfortunately continues to pile up), but I somehow still managed to start like three other books — as well as decided to DNF a book —so I hope to read them soon.

Let’s start off with the one book I actually finished. Surprisingly, this one is also the reason I didn’t read anything else. I loved it a lot, the world building around 1890s New York was wonderful and the characters were well rounded and relatable. It just took me an awful long time to finish it and while I enjoyed reading The Witches of New York, I also wanted to start all the other books I had lying around.

In Other Lands was a buddy read with a friend of mine. I got accepted for an eArc, but something went wrong during the download so I ended up getting only quite a long excerpt. I’m glad, I didn’t have to actively decide if i want to dnf it this way. Elliot, the main character annoyed me so much with his whining and his beheavior, always complaining and stating how weird he is — imagine that famous Riverdale gif with Jughead, that’s practically Elliot. Another thing that irked me a lot was the portrayal of the elfs: While I’m all for female empowerment, I’m not really sure showing strong women in a reversed sexism manner is really all that helpful. All in all I can just say that what could have been a great fantasy novel became an irritable story with weird character development and plot decisions I couldn’t really agree with. Sadly, I didn’t even get to the part with the mermaids, since they were my main motivation to keep on reading.

I’ve been blogging since October 2016, so it’s already been a full year!

#2 – Do you enjoy doing tags?

I do! They are a great way to get to know other bloggers better and I love reading all the different answers to questions I answered as well.

#3 – Do you follow the blogs that follow you?

I try to follow back most of the time if the posts catch my eye or are similar to my taste in books.

#4 – Describe your blog in 5 words?

Oh boy, I’m bad at this, so I’ll just go with a few words less: bookish; mintcoloured (hah); openminded

#5 – How many posts have you made on your blog? (Not counting this tag)

I’ve written 35 posts so far.

#6 – On a scale of 1-10 how much do you enjoy blogging?

A 7/8ish? I do enjoy it much more when I can be active and productive for a longer period of time but lately I’ve been swamped with work –and now uni. Unfortunately, I seem to fall into blogging slumps more often than into reading slumps at the moment and I hope I can restructure my blogging schedule so that I can soon say that I blogging is a 10/10 for me again.

#7 – Post some links to blogs you enjoy reading

There are quite a few blogs I enjoy reading. I narrowed it down a notch so I’m not spamming you guys with all the links.

I can’t really decide. Both of them have their perks and (not really) negative aspects. From time to time I get overwhelmed by the amount of blog posts I want to read and end up reading only a portion of what I wanted to. But then I really enjoy finding out about other people’s opinion on books I’ve read as well or want/plan to read.

I love writing, even if me and writing are currently in a love-hate relationship as seen above. I wouldn’t have started this blog if I didn’t like doing it at all and I’ve got to say that I already learned a lot just by writing posts (semi-) regularly..

Bloggers I tag:I’m not tagging anyone because I’m pretty sure everyone already did this tag. If you haven’t, please feel yourself tagged!

Today, I have quite the treat for you. A guest post by Cat Jordan, author of The Leaving Season and Eight Days on Planet Earth. Enjoy her amazing tips on writing!

The 5 Things I Ask Myself Before Starting a Writing Project

What’s the opening scene?

In my earliest novels, I would start things off with a bang, often in the middle of action or even dialogue. It can be disorienting to a reader to not know what is going on or who is speaking. Some stories need this but most stories prefer a clever/beautiful/interesting opening line. I want to draw the reader into my world and I don’t want them to start off confused (unless that’s my goal!).

Now when I begin a project, I try to place myself in the new world as if I were my reader. What do I want to see? Is that interesting? Is that character compelling? Is the voice something I want to hear for three hundred pages?

What is the ending?

Again, as a newbie writer, I would imagine my books with a bang of an ending too. With all of these “bangs,” you’d think I was writing thrillers! However, what I discovered – both as a reader and a writer – was that I needed to know what happens after the climax of the story. Back in high school, I learned this was a “denouement” but I didn’t know how to apply it until I became a novelist.

As I’ve already mentioned in last month’s wrap up, I’m a student again, so October has been a mix between anxiously waiting for uni to start and anxiously fearing the start of classes and having to meet new people. So far, it’s been quite okay, and I do like my film study courses on musicals, Game of Thrones, and Aliens, but let’s see how it will all turn out since we’re only two weeks into the new semester and there are big papers waiting for me at the end of it. Other than that, I’m still busy with decorating my flat and I can’t wait to have a new location to finally shoot more bookstagram pictures for my Instagram, so it won’t look so dead.

But let’s get onto more book related stuff. I got tons of new books from Frankfurt Book Fair, you can see some of those here. This time, I do plan to read them all sooner. Since I had more free time in the beginning of the month, I managed to squeeze in a Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom reread and all those feelings made me want to read it again as soon as I was finished. Overall, I read 7 books and for once my Goodreads goal of 50 books looks more and more doable before Christmas. Continue reading “October Wrap Up”→

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.
They’re wrong. Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future. He shouldn’t. And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

I’ve been hearing a lot about the Becoming of Noah Shaw – mostly from my sister – and thanks to the publisher who granted me an e-ARC on Edelweiss, I was able to finally read it myself.

The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin is the first book in a new spin off series in the Mara Dyer universe. I read the books years ago but only remembered bits and pieces. So, if you’re thinking about reading this book, I recommend reading the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer first since it will be referenced a few times and a lot of things will make way more sense afterwards.

Now on to my actual feelings which can be described as this emoji “🤷“ It was an okay book, a fast read and it might get interesting in the sequels, but all in all I just felt nothing after having finished it.

The book is written in Noah’s POV. Instead of the sarcastic, witty voice we were used to in the Mara Dyer books, he sounded rather dull in this one. There were a few things mentioned by Noah, as well as other characters, that felt out of place and/or quite unnecessary.

My main issue with the plot is that nothing actually happened?! There was a constant limbo of nothingness. The pacing just felt forced, something that looked like a plot started towards the end of the book, and by that point I had so many questions that of course none of them were answered in the few remaining pages. This kind of exposition might work if we have the whole series to look at, but since we are only at book one, it kind of irked me a lot.

Noah was also the only character who seemed to have some sort of a growth during the story, even if I don’t agree with some of his reasonings, especially his decisions towards the end. It might be due to Noah’s limited POV, but even the other characters didn’t seem to develop in any direction. They just existed for plot reasons and could have probably been interchangeable. There aren’t many new characters introduced to the reader, although they also follow that principle and stay flat instead of being well rounded and their own distinct person.

You might have heard that other bloggers have described The Becoming of Noah Shaw as fanfiction-like. I can only agree with that statement. Instead of talking, Noah and Mara had sex and it seemed to work as a coping mechanism for them. Most of the time I thought it was rather unnecessary. Why can’t kids these days just talk about their problems and fears and worries, especially when you’re clearly in an unhealthy relationship?

Anyways, even if I talked about many points I didn’t like, I still didn’t hate it. I can’t really think of anything at the moment that I liked. There were some funny nerd references though, and in the end, this book was okay. I’m probably going to check out the sequels, just so I get to know how it all wraps up in the end.

Today, I have quite some things prepared for you guys. Dear Rachel Maddow is a book that I’ve been looking forward to and now I can share the official cover reveal, an exclusive excerpt, and even a giveaway with you! Scroll down to check it all out.

Sixteen-year-old Brynn Harper’s life has one steadying force—Rachel Maddow. She watches her daily, and after writing to Rachel for a school project—and actually getting a response—Brynn starts drafting emails to Rachel but never sending them. It’s an outlet; Brynn tells Rachel about breaking up with Sarah, her first serious girlfriend, about her beloved brother Nick’s death, her passive mother and even worse stepfather, about how she’s stuck in remedial courses at school and is considering dropping out.

But then Brynn is confronted with a moral dilemma. She learns that one student representative will be allowed to have a voice among teachers and administrators in the selection of a new school superintendent. Sarah, along with Brynn’s arch-nemesis John, believe only honors students worthy of the selection committee seat. Brynn knows they are more interested in power and perks. Brynn feels all students deserve a voice. When she runs for the position the knives are out and her brother’s memory and her new crush Michaela are shamed. Brynn asks herself: What would Rachel Maddow do?

I am writing to you because of a school assignment. It’s a totally lame reason to be writing, but I don’t think you’ll actually read it anyway. This kind of thing is so sixth grade. I am a junior in high school and I’ve been forced to write to a “celebrity hero” by the Applied Language Arts teacher. (Hey Mr. Grimm! How’s it hanging, buddy?) I wasn’t going to do it, because my ex-girlfriend worships you and, hello, school assignment. But I turned on your show and Mom totally freaked out to see me watching you. Apparently your liberal and leftist views don’t sit well with her. Mom spat out the words like she was talking about my dad, so I knew she meant it. That made you my celebrity hero.
You were talking about some guys running for congress. But then you said one of them was “freaking amazing.” I don’t think news people are supposed to say things like that. And isn’t that biased? News people aren’t supposed to be biased. I know this because Mr. Grimm made us watch this video about newswriting. Though no one else knows this about me, Rachel Maddow, I have a near photographic memory for stuff people say. Their words just stick in my brain. So I remember what a reporter is supposed to do.

I am writing to you because of a school assignment. It’s a totally lame reason to be writing, but I don’t think you actually read them anyway.This kind of thing is so sixth grade. [Brynn, this is good, honest writing. Can you try to put a positive spin on it?] I am a junior in high school and I’ve been forced [asked] to write to a “celebrity hero” by the Applied Language Arts teacher. (Hey Mr. Grimm! How’s it hanging, buddy?) [I’m doing well, thanks. But you can take this out.] I wasn’t going to do it, because my ex-girlfriend worships you and, hello, school assignment. And Mom totally freaked out to see me watching you. Apparently your liberal and leftist views still don’t sit well with her. Mom spat out the words like she was talking about my Dad, so I knew she meant it. So that made you my celebrity hero. [Again, great personal touch. But maybe too intimate for this correspondence?]

You were talking about the people running for congress. But then you said one of them was “freaking amazing.” And I don’t think news people are supposed to say things like that. And isn’t that biased? News people aren’t supposed to be biased. I know this because Mr. Grimm, my English teacher, made us watch this video about newswriting. Though no one else knows this about me, Rachel Maddow, I have a photographic memory for stuff people say. Their words just stick in my brain. So I remember what a reporter is supposed to be. [You are right, Brynn! I didn’t know that about you. Shouldn’t you remember your assignments, then?]

Anyway, thanks for pissing off my Mom. [There is a list of questions I asked you to include. Maybe you could end with that instead.]

I learned an important lesson about rough drafts. If you really want to send someone a letter, you should just send it. Do not turn it in to your English teacher first. But Mr. Grimm (said English teacher) is the only person I know who doesn’t think I’m hopeless, so I am trying this again for his sake. Though I’m sending it to you too, to avoid further editing.

My name is Brynn Harper and I am sixteen years old. I live with my mother and stepfather in Westing, Pennsylvania. I have a brother, too. Or, I had one, anyway.

I first watched your show a couple of times in high school because my best friend (well, okay, my girlfriend) loved you, so she kind of dragged me along with her. She’s not my girlfriend anymore. And she said she didn’t have time to watch television anymore either, even for you. So she dumped us both. That gives us something in common.

I had a list of questions that I was supposed to ask you, but I got most of the answers online already. Mr. Grimm suggested I think of new ones. So here you go:

1. When you look at the papers on your desk and circle something, are you really reading from them? Don’t you read from a teleprompter? When you go to commercial, you shuffle those papers, too. Seriously, is there anything even written on them?

2. How much does a person have to know to be considered a “wonk?”

3. At least one person laughs in the background while you are talking. Is this on purpose? Who is that?

4. Why don’t you run for political office?

5. Is there ever a staff meeting when you think to yourself, “Huh, there really isn’t a lot going on in the news today.”

6. How many pairs of shoes do you actually own?

About the author

I have lived my entire “adult” life in a college dormitory working in both Residence Life and college chaplaincy. I like the term “dormitory” better than “residence hall.” I went to school for a long time so that now I get to swoop around in a fancy robe and silly hat (like at Hogwarts). I have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts (a place like Hogwarts). I play both the viola and tennis with more heart than skill. I love my current home in Boston but will always be a Pennsylvanian at heart.

Jordan’s Questions:

Do you read multiple books at once?I sometimes start multiple books at once when I can’t decide which one to read first. After a while I keep to finishing one at a time though.

What “required reading” book did you enjoy reading the most in school?The question should have been which book I hated most, because I would have instantly known the answer to that (Kafka’s Process – if anyone’s wondering). I liked reading Shakespeare and Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories a lot!

Do you like romance in books?Yup, it just depends if it actually fits the story. I’m no fan of forced romances where the main character just unnecessarily has to get a love interest.

What’s your Hogwarts house?I’m a proud Slytherin!

Do you like reading outside?If it’s warm and comfortable, then I’m all in.

Do you have any pets?Two very pretty, mostly well behaving cats named Zuko and Leo.

What was/is your favorite subject in school?I always liked English and History in school. In uni I liked most of my media science courses.

Do you like to write?I do. I haven’t written anything real in years but I want to start again.

How long have you been blogging?About a year? That’s at least how old this blog is.

Are you a fast reader?Yeah, from time to time I read books in one go.

What was the first book that you fell in love with?I always loved reading so it’s hard to say. It was probably something from Astrid Lindgren (The Six Bullerby Children anyone?) or the Harry Potter series.

I hope none of you have been tagged yet. As usual, you don’t have to do the tag if you don’t want to 🙂

My Questions:

1. You favorite friendship from a book?
2. What is the longest book you’ve read this year so far?
3. Which trope do you dislike the most?
4. List your top three favorite movies
5. Paperback, hardcover or ebook?
6. If you could visit one book setting which setting would it be?
7. Who is your favorite author?
8. If you were given a $50 gift card to your local bookstore, what books would you buy?
9. What’s your favorite thing to do apart from reading and blogging?
10. What made you decide to start blogging?
11. How do you feel about books being adapted to series/movies?

Oh boy, I remember how I thought about squeezing in another blog post before the end of September after posting my last review, and then it hit me. It’s the end of the month so of course I need to post my wrap up. September was over so fast that it didn’t even feel real. I’m now also wrapping up my current job since I’m starting my masters degree in October. Yup, it’s been kinda (read:hella) stressful for me and it’s probably going to take a while until I’m used to Uni again as well. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to it and I can’t wait to work on a new blogging schedule, so I can post more frequently and regularly. I did manage to read some very nice books and to post some reviews, so reading wise this month was a big plus 🙂

I need more diverse LGBT books in my life and I’m so glad I found this one. It’s Not Like It’s a Secret reminded me of Dodie’s new album “You”, so if I had to decide on a playlist for this book, it would certainly be this one. I do however think that certain drama towards the end felt more forced and unnecessary. Apart from that I enjoyed it a lot and reading it made me really happy.

I knew I had to get an arc for this book as soon as I found out that Dodie is publishing a book. I got approved on Netgalley and the reading experience has been amazing. I’ve been a fan of her videos and music for quite some time and reading her book just felt like a conversation with her. Pro Tipp: listen to her songs while reading it, it makes it even more special! (aka how many times can I recommend Dodie’s songs in one post).

Another ARC I actually managed to finish in time. A Messy Beautiful Life was a (messy) beautiful read. Sara Jade Alan has created an amazing work with great characters that were fully and well fledged. This is also an own voices book in more than point. If you need another reason to buy this book, just look at the cover. It’s so pretty that you can’t just not have it on your shelf.